Investigation of Element Migration from Aluminum Cooking Pots Using ICP-MS

Abstract

The present study examined the migration of elements from aluminum cooking pots to foods after the cooking process. This study investigated the impact of pot quality (manufacturer), pot type (traditional or pressure cooker), water supply (tap water/mineral water), food acidity, salt, spices, temperature, and cooking time on the migration of elements into cooked food. The cooking experiments were conducted to simulate the actual cooking conditions. Standard food simulant B, with 3% (w/v) acetic acid, was used in subsequent cooking trials to confirm the results. Three methods were employed to analyze the elements in the food: ICP-MS, EDS-SEM, and XPS. The cooking pots used in this investigation were examined using a Spectromaxx metal analyzer to characterize their chemical composition. The concentration of aluminum in cooked food samples increased significantly when using an aluminum pressure cooker. Food acidity, cooking duration, and the type of aluminum pot (traditional/pressure cookers) all affected the concentration of elements that migrated into the food. The aluminum level increased from 80.17 to 133.7 µg/g when tomato sauce was added to the food. Increasing the heating time resulted in an increased aluminum content (157.9 µg/g) in the cooked food. Aluminum pressure cookers exhibited the highest amount of aluminum migration into the food. Foods cooked in a pressure cooker made by manufacturer (3) contained the highest aluminum content (252.7 µg/g), which increased the risk of exceeding the daily intake limit of aluminum. The prepared food samples under all conditions showed a safe health profile for daily intake of all elements (Fe, As, Cd, and Pb), except for Al, which exceeded the daily intake limit when using pressure cookers for extended cooking times. The results of element migration into food simulants were consistent with those of food samples. The results confirmed that SEM-EDS and XPS techniques are not suitable for quantifying the elements that migrated into food samples due to their detection limits.